When You're Around
by JustAnotherAuthorDurping
Summary: Toph/Sokka;; 48 drabbles of all genres, from romance to friendship and humor to angst. Rated T most likely for future chaters. Read & review?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Alright, introducing my new Tokka drabble series. The previous set royally sucked, so I deleted it and am now hoping I can write newer and better ones, now that I have the hang of our favorite Avatar characters. Each drabble is going to be based off one of a 48 set of drabble prompts I have. This particular one is sort of a growing idea from one of my sentences in another Tokka story of mine. Reviews are encouraged.

**43. It's On:**

"Okay... whoever gets it in Lady Ming's hair doesn't buy drinks. Sound good to you?"

"You know it."

Sokka shot Toph a sidelong glance. "And no cheating with earth bending," he added quickly.

His friend rolled her blank, milky eyes, and snorted. "I don't _need_ to cheat to beat you, Ponytail."

"Huh! We'll see about that."

She ignored his slight. "Just count us down already."

"Fine. On the count of three. One…"

Their faces wrinkled in determination.

"Two…"

The spoons were pulled back, small beans loaded in the curve of each utensil.

"_Three_!"

Their loaded weapons flung forward, releasing the edible ammunition into the air and sending it flying across three tables, two generals, and one large cake. Sokka's bean fell short, hitting the unsuspecting woman in the small of her back. But Toph's bean, (with an uncanny accuracy that one would not suspect from a blind girl) lodged itself right into the woman's vast air. Their target did not even notice.

Groaning, Sokka threw his arms in the air in a large gesture of defeat. "Guh! I was _so_ close!"

"So I won?" Toph replied, leaning back in her seat smugly. "Sweetness." She picked a cherry off her plate and popped it into her mouth.

He groaned, "I'm going to be broke by the end of the night."

"Not to mention a drunk," she added pointedly through a mouth full of fruit, holding up her index finger.

"You're not helping."

"And you're being a wuss. Buck up and stop being such a sore loser."

"Ugh."

After a very long (and expensive) evening, Sokka made a point to never bet with Toph again.


	2. Chapter 2

**34. Teacher:**

"Come on Toph, just a bit further."

"Would you just give me sec? This isn't exactly the easiest thing for me to do."

With an annoyed frown set staunchly on her lips, Toph allowed herself to inhale quickly, and then took another step into the cool water until it reached her waist. Her hand reached out instinctively as she lost her ability to see and Sokka took it without hesitation, reassuring her that he was there.

"First step, get in the water. Done," she groaned, wiggling her toes in the sand. She really, _really_ did not like being able to see, let alone having to rely on someone to do it for her. Even if it was Sokka.

"Hey, it's important you at least learn the basics of swimming," he reminded her and she felt him jab a finger at her. "If something bad were to happen while you're at sea and you fell overboard, what'd you do?"

Toph place a hand on her hip. "Easy. Splash around until someone comes and gets me."

"And if no one was there?"

"Drown."

Sokka snorted. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"I've heard it before," she replied, smirking.

Somehow, she just knew he rolled his eyes at her.

He pulled her over a step, his right hand moving to balance her carefully as she wobbled slightly in the pond floor muck. Her pale, blank eyes lifted and fell just over his left shoulder, glaring ever so slightly in warning.

"Sokka…"

"That's Sifu Sokka to you, pupil Toph."

It was going to be a long afternoon.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This originally just a silly thing I wrote to prove to a friends that I am currently writing, but she liked so I figured 'why not post it'.

**28. What Have I Done?**

"These are disgusting," Toph said, making a face and pushing her bowl away from herself. "What the heck are they?"

Beside her, Sokka turned his head to her in shock, his cheeks bulging with food. "_What_?!" Swallowing, he answered defensively, "They're seaprunes, and probably the best food the Water Tribe has to offer!"

Her lips curled upwards and she stuck her tongue out. "Mud tastes better then this."

Rolling his eyes, Sokka muttered sarcastically, "Sorry, we're fresh out of that." He added brightly, "We do have plenty of snow, though."

Once again, a look of repulsion took over her expression. "Gee, nothing's better then snow." Despite the fact that she was quite warm in her thick furs, she shivered in disgust.

Cramming another seaprune in his mouth, he argued thickly, "It's just frozen water."

Toph glared at him. "Yea. It's _such_ a wonder why I don't like it then."

Snorting, Sokka eyed his now empty bowl and her still full one. Seeming to sense his gaze, she waved a hand. "Just take it."

Grinning eagerly, he leaned a palm on the table and reached over to take her helping. However, in a way that only Sokka could manage, his hand slipped on a napkin and he fell forward, his arm knocking Toph's bowl over and spilling its entire contents onto her lap.

Thankfully (for his sake), the food was only lukewarm, but Toph still yelped in surprise and stood up suddenly as it fell onto her. The both stood still, but whereas she was still with shock, he was frozen with fear, unable to take his eyes off of her. Several very long and tense moments passed in silence, and then she finally lifted her head to him, her pale eyes making him flinch.

Her eyes never leaving his (much to his distress and surprise), she reached down and picked up a seaprune.

"You might want to start running, Ponytail," Toph growled, her arm pulling back.

After that evening, Sokka lost his taste for seaprunes.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This takes place sometime between season 2 and 3 where Aang is not awake and they're on the Fire Nation ship. Reviews are appreciated.

**21. I Feel Better:**

Toph pressed her palm against her warm forehead and groaned, her eyes falling shut.

This was complete and utter hell.

Water wasn't her element - she didn't enjoy being in it, but being _on_ it was infinitely worse she had come to realize. The metal ship rolled over an onslaught of waves, making her stomach churn and flip and send whatever had been previously residing there, back up. Never before had she felt so sick and helpless. For her, this was worse then flying.

Without warning, the vessel hit another particularly large swell, causing her stomach to roll and moan along with her. Feeling another wave of nausea hit her, she blindly stood and stumbled over to the side of the ship, groping the railing and retching into the waters.

"_Ugh_… No more," she groaned, wiping her mouth with her arm. Stepping back, she slid down the outside wall of the bridge and sat with her head in her hands.

She wasn't sure how long she sat in misery when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. From the sound of them, she could tell it was Sokka.

"Hey Toph. It's time for dinner and we thought you might like-." He stopped himself. "Whoa, are you okay?"

Not trusting herself to shake her head, Toph managed to get out, "Uh-ah."

"Oh." He paused. "Should I get Ka-?"

"No… Just… sit, Ponytail."

Surprisingly enough, he listened to her for once and seated himself beside her after a brief moment. She felt his eyes analyzing her, but she felt too miserable to care.

"I guess it's always like this when you're not on the earth, huh," he provided.

She inhaled. "Yeah. Lucky me."

"Is it always this bad for you on ships?" he asked, sounding both curious and concerned.

She inhaled slowly. "I don't know. This is my first time on one."

"Really?" Genuine surprise touched his voice. "Well, don't worry, you'll get used to it – it's not as bad after a couple of days."

"_Days_?" Toph wasn't sure she could survive another _hour_ like this.

They grew quite, save for her occasional groan. She couldn't get comfortable, no matter how she rearranged herself, and her abdomen made sure of that. The hot evening air added a stuffiness that just made her feel even worse. Slowly, she leaned her head back and shut her eyes.

Suddenly, she felt something soft and cool on her forehead. At first she wasn't sure what it was, however, when she reached up to grope it, she discovered it was Sokka's hand.

"You're really burning up," he muttered to himself more then her. "That can't be helping." He started to withdraw it, but her hand caught his wrist and put his palm back to her head.

"Ah, that's better," she sighed, relishing in the strange coldness of his skin and how it somehow relieved her nausea.

She could hear a grin on his lips when he replied, "Better?"

For the first time since they had cast off, Toph gave a weak smile.

"Yeah. Thanks Sokka."


End file.
